Patrick Quinn, Disability Benefits Theft, Massachusetts 2022

Convicted of Stealing Government Benefits

Arlington-based insurance agency owner and operator, Patrick Quinn, has been convicted by a federal jury in Boston of fraudulently receiving disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Social Security Administration (SSA).

Quinn, 50, of Arlington, was convicted on Tuesday, April 12, 2022, following a six-day jury trial of two counts of theft of public funds and two counts of making false statements.

U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for August 17, 2022. Quinn was arrested and charged in December 2019.

Since January 2012, Quinn stole more than $420,000 in veteran benefits and Social Security benefits by falsely telling the VA and SSA that he was unable to work due to a disability, when in reality, he owned and operated Quinn Insurance Group, Inc.

Quinn applied for disability compensation benefits with the VA in October 1995, shortly after being discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps, and was approved based on physical injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder. He also applied for Individual Unemployability (IU) benefits with the VA in March 2005, claiming that his PTSD prevented him from securing or following any substantially gainful occupation and that he had become too disabled to work.

Quinn reported to the SSA that he had not worked since May 2006, despite being the owner and operator of his own insurance agency, Shannon Francis & Quinn Insurance, which later became Quinn Insurance Group, Inc, since at least March 2003. Evidence presented at trial established that Quinn regularly received payments ranging in amounts of $6,500 to $15,000 and grew his business significantly through acquisitions of nine smaller insurance companies at various times between 2012 through 2019.

The charge of theft of public funds provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of making a false statement provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater.

Quinn is scheduled to be sentenced on August 17, 2022. The evidence presented at trial established that Quinn was self-employed as the owner and operator of his own insurance agency, despite claiming to be unable to work due to a disability.

This case is a reminder of the importance of reporting any change in employment status to the SSA to ensure that benefits are not being received fraudulently. The SSA continues to work to prevent and detect disability benefits fraud.

Related Federal Cases